I am new to the site and recently found out I am pregnant. I've been reading many of the post here and the advice and support seem wonderful. I do have a question and would appreciate anyone's feedback.

We don't want to tell anyone that we're expecting until after the first trimester. Problem is my job requires me to be social and drink and have dinner with customers and co-workers several times a week. But again, we don't want to tell this early.

What are some excuses I can use to tell my customers and co-workers and friends and family for that matter, why I am not drinking? Anyone that knows me will think it is VERY odd that I'm not enjoying a cocktail! Please help.

Going up to the bar and getting your drink if you can is a good suggestion. Virgin Caesar's (or a virgin Bloody Mary if you're in the U.S.) always look real, as well as virgin daquiris or coladas.

I got some German 0% alcohol beer for over X-mas and all of my relatives thought I was drinking real beer. When they found out I was pregnant, many asked "oh no! but you were drinking at X-mas!". I laughed when I told them it was 0% beer.

If you don't mind people thinking you're a total lush, you could say you drank so much the previous night that you have a terrible hangover today.

Tofie ~ mama to DD1, DD2 and Pookie v3 debuting December 2011Oh my God....women are the COWS of PEOPLE!! --Reese, Malcolm in the Middle

I think the medication excuse would work pretty well--there are plenty of drugs that would react badly with alcohol, and most people aren't going to butt in and ask for more details about what you're taking medication for.

This is my 3rd preg--we lost our last baby last year at 20wks--so this time I was determined not to tell until that point---I used all of the above excuses medication, just trying to be healthier, saving money, and at one wedding I was just drinking tonic --but everyone thought it was a gin and tonic b/c of the twist ---and I had to go up to the bar to get it. Keep your secret until your ready to tell---people won't ask if you start to show either --I mean I was getting pretty round and people may have suspected but not one person said 'Are you preg?'

Instead of mentioning a diet, since weight loss isn't an issue, you could tell people that you are on a detox or cleanse for a month. That will buy you some time, and explain why you've given up alchohol and/or caffeine! Its not exactly a lie since early pregnancy can sometimes act as a detox!

I would make up some simple story about a recent ER trip or at least a trip to your doctor...where you had an aweful stomach pain (liver pain) and the doc did all the tests, put you on medication and said to avoid alchohol for the next few months. (I actually had something similar to that happen to me and that's what my doctor said). I think that it is better to tell this story before everyone orders drinks, so it looks like you are upset that you can't join them.

And for my friends and family, when I was in my first trimester, this is what I did. When I come to a party/restaurant, I ask for a glass of wine/cocktail, etc right away. So, everything looks "normal" to everyone. Then occasionally I pretend to take a sip and then either give it to my husband or quietly get rid of it. No one ever asked any questions or suspected anything. In fact, after I told them the news at 19 weeks, many kept saying: "but you were drinking!!!"...and were surprised by my "no, I wasn't"

It is the new year. Why can't you just tell them that your new years resolution is to get healthier, exercise more, cut back on alcohol -- I'm guessing that in this situation, none of that would be a lie.

Hello all. After years of trying and in vitro, I am 4 weeks pregnant, so very early! Because of my age (40), and the in vitro stuff- I'm supposed to take it easy "no sport" and am hormone supplements. I can get by with the no drinking thing okay, not not the fact that I'm not climbing. I'm a very active climber (usually 3 x/week at least), and now I'm not. So instead of excuses of why to not exercise (because I am addicted to being active), I have to find an excuse to my young friends about why I'm not exercising. Does that make sense? My husband and I are going to our usual climbing places, but I will not be climbing. Can anyone think of a good excuse?

So instead of excuses of why to not exercise (because I am addicted to being active), I have to find an excuse to my young friends about why I'm not exercising. Does that make sense? My husband and I are going to our usual climbing places, but I will not be climbing. Can anyone think of a good excuse?

Claim a minor injury of some kind, like a sprained ankle or wrist problems (carpal tunnel is common because of computer use, so depending on your job, that might be easy to explain)? You could get a brace to wear from any drugstore, to back up your story. Or, what about suspected mono? Don't they say to be careful with physical activity for a while post-mono because of the possibility of spleen rupture?

36, hoping to have a new member of the family in 2015, to join my queer clan: Me , Things 1&2 , my long-distance KD/cheerleader (the guy who's been telling everyone what a great mom I'm going to be) , and the rest of the superheroes and sidekicks .

I got out of drinking without suspicion easily at Thanksgiving by saying I was already fighting off a headache so it probably wasn't a good idea. Of course you can probably only use it once per person but everyone bought it.